MOTOR SPORT: Sidecars took centre stage at Foxhall Stadium for the first time – and provided an exciting evening's entertainment.John Hiscock and his passenger Nick Walters won the £400 first Mobil 1 Sidecar Championship prize after making the best start in the final.

MOTOR SPORT

SIDECARS took centre stage at Foxhall Stadium for the first time – and provided an exciting evening's entertainment.

John Hiscock and his passenger Nick Walters won the £400 first Mobil 1 Sidecar Championship prize after making the best start in the final.

Ivor Matthews, who had begun favourite after winning four qualifying races and his semi-final, was involved in a collision with Paul Whitelam coming out of the second bend.

Both sidecars lost too much ground and were unable to test Hiscock, although Whitelam did come through from the back on the last lap to pass Paul Bickley for third place.

Hiscock had no choice of gate for the final having finished second in his semi-final, but he had no complaint about starting from the outside.

He said: "I was happy with that. The rest got into a knot and I was able to go round the outside. It was then a case of not making any mistakes on the tight corners."

Matthews said: "All four finalists could have won, but it was vital to make a good start and when I failed came out of the second bend in front I knew it would be hard."

The attendance was not up to speedway standards but the exercise was still considered a success.

Promoter John Louis said: "It was a change and the sidecars travel at great speed.

"The sport is very popular in Australia and needs to be given a chance over here."

Despite the one metre wide sidecars and the narrow track not one rider went through the safety fence. The raced in the opposite direction to speedway and it was the entry to the third bend that caused most problems.

The second bend exit for speedway bikes threw many of the sidecars wide and many of the passes took place on that corner.

Passengers play an important role, swinging their bodies from side to side and virtually scraping the ground as the bikes roar into the bends.

Whitelam and his passenger Mark Whitelam won £50 from sponsors Foxhall Fencing for the most entertaining combination.

Carl Squirrell was the only Suffolk rider on show.

The former Ipswich junior and Rye House speedway rider built his machine during the week and this was his first meeting.

He did race grass-track sidecars successfully in the early and middle '90s. He said: "I am a novice at this but it was good fun. The track lent itself to good sidecar racing."

Foxhall results

Qualifying points (five races each): Ivor Matthews/Tony Miles 13 pts, Paul Bickley/Paul Silvera 13, John Hiscock/Nick Walters 12, Craig Cheatham/Kevin Williams 11, John Halsey/Jason Glenie 10, Steve Smith/Andi Wilson 10, Mick Cave/Richard Masterson 9, Paul Whitelam/Mark Whitelam 7. Non-qualifiers: Simon Wall/Kevin Jones 6pts, Carl Squirrell/Ben Goddard 6, Mick Turrell/Tony Baseby 5, Rob King/Gareth Bemister 5, Mark Goddard/Richard Ellery 4, Gary Radley/Roy Bloor 4, Joe Mogg/Joe Smith 3. Peter Lloyd/Terry Madley did not compete.

Semi-final: Matthews, Hiscock, Halsey, Cave (e/f) 67.7.

Semi-final: Whitelam, Bickley, Cheatham, Smith. 68.8.

Final: Hiscock, Matthews, Whitelam, Bickley. 68.6.